More Coverage

The University of Manitoba and Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue to say they’re both involved in discussions to help ease traffic hassles on campus during events at Investors Group Field, but few details have emerged on what the plan to facilitate that will look like.

With transportation and flow on event days at the Fort Garry campus still a hot topic after the Blue Bombers’ first pre-season game, there is a greater sense of urgency to find solutions for the traffic quagmires that popped up last week and are feared could be a regular feature outside the brand-new stadium.

“That’s a real hot topic around here and we’re not supposed to talk about it,” one U of M employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said of stadium traffic.

A contentious area of land is the old Southwood Golf Course site, which the university acquired in 2011. On Tuesday, St. Boniface city Coun. Dan Vandal sounded the bell for a greater sense of urgency in developing transit solutions that way, saying a transit terminal there could one day serve as the “exclamation point on rapid transit.”

“We need to start those discussions today if we want it completed in a reasonable amount of time,” Vandal said. “I think it’s an opportunity to build a central transit station that can be easy to access, easy to leave and accommodating ... perhaps there’s partnerships with commercial opportunity.

“It’s an opportunity to do something, and I think we need to look at it.”

Ron Mazur, co-chair of the citizen environmental group OURS-Winnipeg, is wary of what impact potential development will have on the green space from the former golf course.

“Our biggest priority and concern would be the maintenance of green space along the river corridor as part of the natural corridor that wildlife uses. We think that is absolutely vital,” he said.

“I don’t think the future of transit should hinge on how quickly we can provide access to a stadium. You should look at the entire university population and look at transit hubs that suit the student population ... I would caution (against) proceeding with (saying) the Southwood lands are there, they’re available, let’s push rapid transit through.”

U of M director of communications John Danakas said an international design competition that ends in October will provide the long-term plan for the Southwood lands.

“In the fall, people will know what the plans are for that area,” Danakas said. “Long-term, the plan does involve a transportation system component. That’s absolutely one of the key requirements. A big part of that conversation has been a rapid-transit corridor.”

The Blue Bombers said via email they continue to be involved in discussions on the Southwood lands.

— With files from Joyanne Pursaga

History of the U of M and the Southwood Golf Course

The University of Manitoba bought the Southwood Golf Course lands in 2008, when the club began to plan its move to St. Norbert.

After the new course south of the city opened, the U of M took possession of the old lands in November 2011.

The site has been a golf course since 1894, making it Manitoba’s then-oldest 18-hole golf course.

In 2009, the U of M began consulting the community on what they’d like to see there, releasing few details of its own plans.

In January 2013, an Open International Design Competition launched to pit different ideas against each other.

The winning submission for the site is expected to be revealed in October 2013.

Few details on work to fix stadium traffic woes

The University of Manitoba and Winnipeg Blue Bombers continue to say they’re both involved in discussions to help ease traffic hassles on campus during events at Investors Group Field, but few details have emerged on what the plan to facilitate that will look like.

With transportation and flow on event days at the Fort Garry campus still a hot topic after the Blue Bombers’ first pre-season game, there is a greater sense of urgency to find solutions for the traffic quagmires that popped up last week and are feared could be a regular feature outside the brand-new stadium.

“That’s a real hot topic around here and we’re not supposed to talk about it,” one U of M employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said of stadium traffic.